Contact dermatitis

Alternative names:

allergic dermatitis; dermatitis - allergic; dermatitis - contact; overtreatment dermatitis; poison ivy; poison oak; poison sumac

Symptoms:

• itching (pruritus) of the skin in exposed areas
• skin redness or inflammation in the exposed area
• tenderness of the skin in the exposed area
• localized swelling of the skin
• warmth of the exposed area (may occur)
• skin lesion or rash at the site of exposure
  • lesions can be of any type: redness, rash, papules (pimple-like), vesicles and bullae (blisters)
  • may involve oozing, draining, or crusting
  • skin may become scaly, raw, or thickened

Signs and tests:

The diagnosis is primarily based on the skin appearance and a history of exposure to an irritant or allergen.

Allergy testing with skin patches may isolate which of suspected allergens is causing the reaction.

Other tests may be used to rule out other possible causes, including skin lesion biopsy or culture of the skin lesion (see skin or mucosal biopsy culture).